Rebecca York | What Happened When the Monsters of My Youth Turned into Heroes
August 30, 2010
I love writing about sexy vampires, werewolves and dragon-shifters. But I
wasn’t always so comfortable with the world of dark fantasy creatures. Not when
I was a kid with a vivid imagination. At the age of four, I moved with my family to an apartment building with an
elevator that broke down periodically, trapping tenants for hours. I was afraid
to ride that elevator by myself, so I’d dash up or down five flights of stairs
to our apartment. Unfortunately, by the age of six, I’d learned about vampires,
and they’d be right behind me in the dark stairwell, their cold breath chilling
the back of my neck. To my relief, we moved into a house when I was eight. Where the kid up the
street had a gruesome collection of Tales from the Crypt comic books that gave
me nightmares. Why didn’t I stop reading them? Probably only a psychoanalyst
can give you the answer. I graduated from comic books to scary novels and short stories. Dracula was my next vampire.
I read Bram Stoker’s
classic when I was 15, and the count scared me spitless. I was so traumatized
that I couldn’t sleep in the same room with the book--or sleep with the lights
off--for weeks. But everything changed later that year. A friend gave me a copy of DARKER THAN
YOU THINK, by Jack Williamson. It was about a guy named Will Barbee (of all
things) being turned on to his werewolf heritage by a sexy woman. Williamson
wrote it so well that he made me want to BE a werewolf. Okay maybe these creatures of the night aren’t so bad. Especially when the
writer makes them sympathetic. And you can identify with them.
My early reading was mostly fantasy and science fiction. I’d never read a
romance until a friend asked me if I wanted to write one. When she brought over
several bags of romance paperbacks, I loved them. And I realized I’d always
looked for a romance subplot in the fiction I read. Like the relationship
between Will and April in DARKER THAN YOU THINK. I began adding paranormal elements to my romantic suspense novels almost as soon
as I started writing them. My third Peregrine Connection book, IN SEARCH OF THE
DOVE (1987), has a psychic heroine and a voodoo priestess bad girl. But I
didn’t try to write about shape-shifters until early in the 2000's. I guess the pressure just built up until I had to see if I could create my very
own werewolf. He’s Ross Marshall, the head of my Marshall werewolf pack,
introduced in KILLING
MOON. A private detective who uses his wolf senses to solve crimes, he’s
brought the Marshalls into the 21st century. As I was happily writing more books in my Moon series, Kate Duffy at Kensington
asked me to write a vampire novella. I said sure, no problem. I knew about
vampires, right? I’d read books by Bram Stoker, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro and Anne
Rice. As it turns out, they kind of set me on the wrong course. Or non-course! Which is why the hero of my story in IMMORTAL BAD BOYS (being
reprinted in September by Kensington Brava) isn’t your typical vampire romance hero. All I can say is, "I didn’t know the conventions." Stupid me. I
thought vampires didn’t have enough blood volume to have sexual intercourse. So
I wrote a modern vampire romance novella in which my hero, Jules DeMario, has
erectile dysfunction. That’s the crux of his conflict in NIGHT ECSTASY.
His sexual gratification comes when he draws his partner’s blood. Which means
that if he stays with one woman too long, he’s going to kill her. When he falls in love with painter Taylor Lawson, he knows he’ll have to give
her up and go back to his lonely life. Unless she’s bold enough to figure out
a solution to their problem. What makes an impotent vampire sexy? I made him hunky. Urbane. Witty. A man
of the world. And a wonderful lover--very skilled in using his hands and mouth
creatively.
But will readers do a double take when they find out his secret problem? I guess the broader question is--how much can a writer deviate from genre
conventions? Does the hero of a vampire romance have to function in bed like
the all the other vamps out there? And can a guy be sexy even if he can’t have
intercourse? Let us know your thoughts about monsters, vampires or shape shifters and one
commenter will win a book from the Fresh Fiction grab bag!
Comments
28 comments posted.
Re: Rebecca York | What Happened When the Monsters of My Youth Turned into Heroes
I think vampire mythology should be followed if you don't have enough time to explain why your vampires are different. (Mindy Ewing 3:06pm August 30, 2010)
Since I'm somewhat new to reading about vampires, and don't know the "rules" about them, I think that authors should have the liberty to write their vampires in any way they wish to.
I believe the only problem comes when an author is known for writing their vampires a certain way, and then for whatever reason abandons their own rules and world and goes off on a different tangent. (Sandi Shilhanek 3:13pm August 30, 2010)
I think it depends on the hero. I love my paranormal romance where the paranormal comes second to the romance. I am open to new types of vamps and look forward to reading the reprint of your story as I have always enjoyed your storytelling. (Jennifer Haag 4:38pm August 30, 2010)
I like my monsters with more than a touch of humanity. (Shannon Scott 4:43pm August 30, 2010)
Vampires have always been a favorite of mine. My Mom and I used to watch Dark Shadows together. (Teresa Ward 5:05pm August 30, 2010)
Making them "human" is the key. As I said, vampires were impotent until romance writers got ahold of them. I think there are conventions you can change. The way romance writers changed THAT convention. (Rebecca York 5:22pm August 30, 2010)
Yes, Count Dracula is a good one that scared me when I was 5 years old and you saw him running being chased by black horses and a coach; fell into a pit and turned into a skeleton with clothes on him; SCARY when you are young but I like watching the movies ever since then. Please enter me in your great contest. God bless you, Cecilia (Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 5:23pm August 30, 2010)
My cat will be sitting on my lap and all of a sudden she will look, and look, and look, and I wonder just what she is seeing. I am almost afraid to turn around and look. Blessings, Marjorie (Marjorie Carmony 5:27pm August 30, 2010)
Mine is weird one, I was out of school one day sick at home with my Mom and we had a wringer washer back then, (shows my age) anyways when my Mom went upstairs to answer phone she told me to just let her know when wash was done of course being nine years old, I took clothes out for first time and started putting them in through the wringer, my arm got caught and was screaming for my Mom, every night after that for months I would have a night mare of a man dressed in black couldn't remember his face and he would put my whole family through wringer on washing machine, told you it was weird but it is the truth. Agatha P. Townsend (Agatha Townsend 5:47pm August 30, 2010)
Vampires are super popular now and gives me the chills. They are monsters too close to humans, but don't keep me up at night. (Alyson Widen 6:25pm August 30, 2010)
Monsters have certainly come into their own since my early days. I find that refreshing. (Mary Preston 6:39pm August 30, 2010)
When I read I want to be able to relate to the characters even if they are vampires or shape-shifters. I enjoy the paranormal elements but we have to be connected with them to feel the full impact. (Rosemary Krejsa 6:40pm August 30, 2010)
That is certainly an interesting topic for discussion. A vampire wanting a Cialis moment? Can the little blue pill increase blood pressure and redirect what isn't there? A transfusion of fluids prior to a night of romance could help. It seems you can pretty much make up your own rules for your paranormal world. It is fiction, unless you have a vampire hiding in your basement, and anything is possible, you just have to write it. The paranormal/urban fantasy field has expanded so greatly in the past few years. The variety of creatures, worlds, and situations is amazing. It seems no matter what type of story you want it is out there. I'm still sampling what is out there trying to see what I like best. (Patricia Barraclough 6:43pm August 30, 2010)
Like a previous poster commented, I too am new to this world of vampires and monsters. I would have no idea whether certain mythology was or wasn't being followed. I don't have a problem one way or another if one author's vampires (or any character(s) really) are different than another's though. It's all fascinating and enjoyable to read, maybe even more so if not everything is the same all the time. (Laura Albert 6:46pm August 30, 2010)
of all things scary to me as a child were bubbles love reading about all papanormal (Brenda Hook 7:16pm August 30, 2010)
After I saw Night of The Living Dead I could not sleep. I thought all of the zombies would come get me during the night. (Lisa Garrett 8:26pm August 30, 2010)
I am just beginning to read about vampires so have not read any of your books but would like to..Hint.. (Brenda Hill 8:33pm August 30, 2010)
Have always been a fan of Count Draula and have just recently read the book. Walking home from my grandmother's house at night when I was a kid I always wore my cross necklace for protection. (Sheila True 8:34pm August 30, 2010)
I love when the writer takes the time to build a whole new world of heroes (vampires)and then makes it a series where we get to come back time after time and play. (Lisa Richards 8:44pm August 30, 2010)
I like it when writers put a twist on Vampire stories and make them a little human it makes for a good read (Vickie Hightower 9:03pm August 30, 2010)
hmmm.. I remember in my childhood, it was the werewolf series 'Howling' that was the talk of the town. we lived in the country, farms all around us. One of my chores was to feed the dogs out behind the house before bed. It was near dark, I was about 8 yrs old and a tomboy, so I was carrying the bucket of feed to the dogs. I heard a growl from the edge of the woods, I hushed the dogs thinking it was one of them. Continuing with the feeding, I walked to the last of the dogs, which was closer to the tree line, and heard the growl again. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, my heart was pounding, and as I peered into the tree line (why didn't I run right away) I saw a shadow of a pretty big animal with many sharp teeth. I started to back away slowly, keeping my eyes to the woods and the shadow. It moved with me. I yelled for my sisters and kept walking backward. Being far enough from the woods in my opinion I turned and ran. Getting into the house, panting and babbling about the animal shadow I saw and the growling, I was informed that one or two wolves had been spotted around the area. Yikes!
As for vampires being closely related to humans, it is said that most of the predators appeal to their prey. It is a way for them to attract, extract, and/or subdue their victim/prey!
As for how an author writes vampires or any other mythological creature, my opinion is, it is up to the creative license of the author. We all have the choice to buy or not! (Samantha Molesky 10:03pm August 30, 2010)
My obsession with vampires came after I saw Bram Stoker's Dracula. Gary Oldman was so uber sexy in that movie that I was instantly fascinated. Now there isn't a paranormal creature that I don't like (except for ghouls; don't much care for them). (Brandi Evans 1:21am August 31, 2010)
I prefer shifters for my paranormal reads, if I can't get a mix of them with in a book. I mean if one kinds exists, logically the others do too. My all time fave though are are dragon shifters. Have loved dragons since I was a kid. I love reading about dragons(as long as they are the good guys)whether or not they are shifters. But as shifters, there is usually an HEA. I do like some of the more unusual vampires, like Lynsay Sands' Argeneau series and Angela Knight's Mageverse books. (Carol Cobun 4:25am August 31, 2010)
I can't say that I've read this genre of books before, but the slant that you've written about in your blog today, would make things believeable. By that I mean needing blood to stay alive would explain his animal instincts. He's normal, yet, when his animal desires take over, his quest for blood is believable the way you explain it. I would very much like to read one of your books. I too, was afraid of monsters as a child, having watched Frankenstein on tv with my older sister. It gave me nighmares for weeks!! Then Dracula came out a short time after. To this day, I'm not a fan of scary movies, but would give one of your books a try. (Peggy Roberson 8:14am August 31, 2010)
when i was a kid they scaries was the witch from the wizard of oz (silly now but then man did she creep me out) (April Strength 8:39am August 31, 2010)
Thanks for all the great comments. the one that got to me the most was the wolf in the woods--because it was REAL! (Rebecca York 11:27am August 31, 2010)
I like your premise in the book. It is unique and attention-grabbing. The hero sounds great, too. (Marlene Breakfield 12:09pm September 1, 2010)
I remember Dark Shadows. Coming home from school and watching it! Scared the dickens out of me! The dracula movies with Christopher Lee. Oh so sexy!! (Anne Harris 10:43am September 4, 2010)
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